Domestic Abuse: Universal Credit Payments

Debate between Baroness Barran and Baroness Buscombe

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Buscombe]

My Lords, as I have already said in a previous answer, most people do not want split payments. They want to be able to judge their household affairs together as one. Therefore, it is important that we and our staff work hard with Women’s Aid and ManKind to develop as much as we can our support and training facilities to help people who are subject to domestic violence. It is not necessarily the case that domestic violence has reached crisis point. We treat this carefully as a private matter. We make training for our work coaches in Jobcentres Plus a priority so that we can give the right support at the right time.

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

How will the department ensure that victims of domestic abuse who are in receipt of universal credit can meet their basic needs? I am thinking particularly of those who suffer such severe financial abuse that they struggle to meet their accommodation costs and provide for their children.